CUNA Volunteer Certification School
Topics & Objectives

Please note that the Topics/Objectives listed below are subject to change.

Governance (Board of Director Track)

It’s up to the board to set the course of the credit union. In order to do that, a modern, progressive board must know how to effectively govern. Good governance is the cornerstone to the success of the board and the credit union. This day’s training will include:

• Duties, responsibilities, and functions of the
board including: Strategy, communication, leadership, director liability, and core values
• A variety of governance strategies: One size does not fit all, but there are different governance models that are equally effective and adaptable. Robert’s Rules of Order is not the only game in town.
• Best practices: There’s often quite a difference between what some think works and what works. Here we’ll examine some strategies that have been tested and proven.

Safety & Soundness (Board of Director Track)

Understand the nuts and bolts of the credit union business by examining:

• The risks of the credit union business and the importance of risk transfer including: Security, director liability, fraud, interest rates & liquidity, and asset-liability management
• Current trends, risks, and strategies
• The budgeting cycle and finance modeling
• Building a useful board packet
• Asset-liability management
• The basics of compliance including: An overview of important regulations, areas of NCUA focus, and how to ask the right questions about compliance
• Business continuity planning

CEO Oversight (Board of Director Track)

The board has only one employee, the CEO. The board’s role in overseeing the CEO is one critical to the mission and objectives of the credit union. During this session, you will discuss:

• The current CEO landscape
• Hiring and keeping the CEO
• Total compensation packages
• Executive employment agreements
• Assessing the CEO through goal setting, monitoring, feedback, and effective communications

Strategic Planning (Board of Director Track)

Strategic planning is about the big picture, and about setting the direction of the organization. It’s as much about what you won’t do, as what you will. Strategic planning gets at the very heart of your credit union to establish what goals you have and how to get to them. During this session, you will examine:

• Establishing the culture, mission, and vision
• Trends of the credit union marketplace and your role in meeting your mission and your member’s needs
• Keeping your member’s interests at heart in all areas, including mergers, branches, services, and community involvement

Board Operations & Development (Board of Director Track)

Operations and development can be easily overlooked, but is important for the health and well-being of the board. Both boards of directors and supervisory committees must work together, with one voice, for the good of the institution. This is not something that just happens when you put people in a conference room and call them a committee. In this session, you will consider:

• Building the board and supervisory committee through diversity, recruitment, and orientation
• Board succession planning
• Creating one voice for the board through team building, communications, differing opinions, and building consensus

CU Knowledge & Committee Governance (Supervisory Committee Track)

The supervisory committee has significant responsibilities as the watchdog of the credit union.
But before that role can be filled, the members must understand the big picture of the credit union system. Here you will cover:

• The credit union system and how it functions
• The supervisory committee charter and guidelines
• Compliance as a federal and a state issue
• Financial statements as a dashboard for guiding the credit union

Annual Audit Requirements (Supervisory Committee Track)

Explore the in-depth work of the supervisory committee and the annual audit requirements including:

• Hiring an outside audit firm including: Overseeing the work, understanding the findings, and following up and what questions to ask
• Considerations when doing the audit including: Planning and performing the audit, documenting the work, understanding reports, recognizing potential problems, and following up on corrective actions

Risk Assessment & the Audit Plan (Supervisory Committee Track)

Overseeing the credit union means understanding the potential for what can happen and what can go wrong—the risks that face the operation. This area of study will help you gain an understanding of risk and how assessments and planning can make these issues manageable. During this session, you will discuss:

• Understanding risk and how controls mitigate risk
• Risk assessments, benefits, and how to perform them
• Developing the audit plan using risk assessment

The Internal Audit (Supervisory Committee Track)

The internal audit is one of the biggest and more complex areas of obligation for the supervisory
committee. Increasingly, this is being outsourced to third parties, potentially adding to the complexity. In this area you will explore:

• Internal audit duties, processing, and reporting
• Outsourcing internal audit work including: Specialists for IT, supervising the work, and third party due diligence
• Following up on findings

Board Operations & Development (Supervisory Committee Track)

Operations and development can be easily overlooked, but is important for the health and well-being of the board. Both boards of directors and supervisory committees must work together, with one voice, for the good of the institution. This is not something that just happens when you put people in a conference room and call them a committee. In this session, you will consider:

• Building the board and supervisory committee through diversity, recruitment, and orientation
• Board succession planning
• Creating one voice for the board through team building, communications, differing opinions, and building consensus

For more program content information or to request a brochure call 800-356-9655, ext. 4249, or email elearning@cuna.coop. For registration questions, call 800-356-9655, ext.4400 or e-mail reginfo@cuna.coop.